# backup(8)

## NAME

         backup - backup files

## SYNOPSIS

         backup [-djmnorstvz] dir1 dir2

## OPTIONS

         -d   At top level, only directories are backed up

         -j   Do not copy junk:  *.Z, *.bak, a.out, core, etc

         -m   If device full, prompt for new diskette

         -n   Do not backup top-level directories

         -o   Do not copy *.o files

         -r   Restore files

         -s   Do not copy *.s files

         -t   Preserve creation times

         -v   Verbose; list files being backed up

         -z   Compress the files on the backup medium

## EXAMPLES

         backup -mz . /f0    # Backup current directory compressed

         backup /bin /usr/bin
                             # Backup bin from RAM disk to hard disk

## DESCRIPTION

         Backup (recursively) backs up the contents of a given directory  and  its
         subdirectories  to  another  part of the file system.  It has two typical
         uses.  First, some portion of the file system can be backed up onto 1  or
         more diskettes.  When a diskette fills up, the user is prompted for a new
         one.  The backups are in the form of mountable file systems.   Second,  a
         directory  on  RAM  disk  can be backed up onto hard disk.  If the target
         directory  is  empty,  the  entire  source  directory  is  copied  there,
         optionally  compressed  to save space.  If the target directory is an old
         backup, only those files in the target  directory  that  are  older  than
         similar  names  in  the source directory are replaced.  Backup uses times
         for this purpose, like make.  Calling Backup as Restore is equivalent  to
         using  the  -r  option; this replaces newer files in the target directory
         with older  files  from  the  source  directory,  uncompressing  them  if
         necessary.  The target directory  contents  are  thus  returned  to  some
         previous state.

## SEE ALSO

         tar(1).